McLaren Automotive will use its first ever international motor show appearance to preview its next generation ultimate supercar – the P1 – which takes much of its technological and spiritual inspiration from the company’s Racing division. P1 has one simple goal: to be the best driver’s car in the world on road and track.

At the Paris Motor Show, Mondial de l’Automobile 2012, P1 is previewed as a design study. Next year a production version, which the company aims to put on sale within 12 months, will be revealed.

For the first time, Sbarro abandons combustion engines and fits an electric motor to a sporty concept: two Recaro bucket seats with harness, a 100kW motor (136hp) located at the rear powers the vehicle weighting only 980kg . . . The concept receives 19” OZ lightweight wheels, and the LiFePO4 batteries located on the side of the vehicle allow a 180km range, last but not least, the Intencity is rear-wheel drive . . .

MAZDA MX-0
ze·ro
-adjective: having no measurable quantity or magnitude
-noun: the lowest point or degree

Zero weight: Mazda’s long-time commitment to low weight is driven by the belief that effortless cornering and acceleration should be at the heart of every car we design. Our featherweight icon — the MX-5 Miata, tipped the scales at a little over 2,300 pounds in its first generation. Starting with the MX-5 as a benchmark, the design team has carried out a systematic process of reduction and consolidation.

February 6, 2012—The GreenGT H2 is the first prototype electric/hydrogen competition car.

The GreenGT H2 project was selected in June 2011 by the French Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), as an innovative project. GreenGT was invited to participate on the June 3rd Test Day of the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours event. As the autonomy of lithium/ion batteries was found to be the improvement with the most potential on GreenGT’s previous prototypes, hydrogen very quickly became the preferred option. In 2011, a 100 kW fuel cell that can be mounted in both competition and road cars was developed under GreenGT’s guidance. This fuel cell system has been tested and is now operational.

The Cadillac Aera (Aero + Era) launches Cadillac’s philosophy of “Art and Science” into new territory by taking an innovative and stylistic approach to ultra-light weight vehicle design. Aera is a 1000 lb, 2+2 touring coupe, with a range of 1000 miles before refueling; attributes achieved without compromising size, capacity and safety.

JAGUAR: When designing a car capable of speeds in excess of 200 mph, aerodynamics is crucial. Your average supercar muscles its way through the air, covered in wings and spoilers to help with grip. A much more elegant approach was taken with the C-X75. Aerodynamics informed every aspect of the exterior design.

Using an underbody Venturi and directional exhaust gas control, the car was kept as compact as possible. In fact, the movement of air itself was one of the principle drivers behind many of the design cues incorporated into the bodywork.